The invention relates to novel silanes with hydrophilic groups, their synthesis and surfactants in aqueous media comprising the novel silanes. More particularly, it relates to silane surfactants, which are resistant to hydrolysis in acidic and alkaline media and significantly lower the surface tension of aqueous media. The concept of xe2x80x9caqueousxe2x80x9d media is understood to include also those media which consist predominantly of water and additionally can contain water-soluble or water-miscible organic solvents.
It is known from the state of the art that organo-modified siloxanes, such as polyether siloxanes or polysiloxanes, which have substituents with anionic, cationic or amphoteric groups, an appropriate structure and a balanced ratio of hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups, can lower the surface tension of aqueous solutions to a pronounced extent.
Surfactants with at least silicon atoms are disclosed in the German patent 41 41 046. They correspond to the general formula 
wherein
R1 is a methyl or phenyl group, with the proviso that at least 90% of the R1 groups are methyl groups,
R2 is R1 or xe2x80x94(CH2)6xe2x80x94OSO3xe2x88x92.M+, wherein
M+ is an alkali, xc2xd alkaline earth or optionally an alkyl-substituted ammonium ion,
R3 is R1 or R2,
with the proviso that in the average molecule, at least one R2 or R3 group is a xe2x80x94(CH2)6xe2x80x94OSO3xe2x88x92.M+,
a is 0 to 5, and
b is 0 to 5.
The selected siloxane hexyl sulfates, which are trisiloxane hexyl sulfates in the event that three silicon atoms are present, bring about a pronounced lowering in the interfacial tension of neutral aqueous media to values of about 21 mN/m. However, they are unstable in acidic or alkaline solutions and, due to the hydrolysis of the Sixe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Si bonds and renewed condensation of the hydrolysis products to higher molecular weight oligomers, very rapidly lose their effectiveness and partly become insoluble in aqueous media.
Surfactants with a low content of silicon atoms are furthermore described in the European publication 0 367 381 (A2) and the British patent 1,520,421.
The European publication 0 367 381 (A2) relates to organosilicon compounds of the general formula 
wherein the R groups, independently of one another, represent an alkyl, aryl, halogenated alkyl or halogenated aryl group with up to 18 carbon atoms, each Rxe2x80x2 groups represents an alkylene group, which separates adjacent silicon atoms by up to 6 carbon atoms from one another, and the Rxe2x80x3 groups independently of one another represent R or, when a=0, the R3SiRxe2x80x2 group. Z is a hydrophilic substituent, which contains sulfur, nitrogen or phosphorus, a carboxy-functional group or the salt of such a group, while a has a value of 0, 1 or 2.
It follows from this that, by definition, the organosilicon group contains at least two silicon atoms. The synthesis of these carbosilanes is relatively expensive and is carried out, for example, by a reaction similar to a Grignard reaction. After that, carbosilane surfactants with a quaternary, sulfonate or betaine structure are synthesized by means of the hydrosilylation of, for example, allyl glycidyl ether or allylamine. The substances, so obtained, lower the surface tension of a 1% solution in distilled water to 23 to 25 mN/m.
Carbosilanes surfactants and their synthesis are disclosed in the British patent 1,520,421. They have the general formula 
wherein R is a methyl, ethyl, propyl or trifluoropropyl group, with the proviso that at least 50% of the R groups are methyl groups, Rxe2x80x2 is an alkyl group with 1 to 6 carbon atoms and Rxe2x80x3 is a divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group with 2 to 6 carbon atoms, which connects Q and the adjacent silicon atom by a bridge of at least 2 carbon atoms. Q is an xe2x80x94O(C2H4O)cX, wherein c has a value of 3 to 12 and X is a hydrogen group, Rxe2x80x2xe2x80x3 group, 
in which Rxe2x80x2xe2x80x3 is an alkyl group with 1 to 5 carbon atoms, a has a value or 1 or 2 and b a value of 2 or 3.
By definition, at least two silicon atoms must be present here also. In application tests, these compounds show remarkable foaming properties.
In this connection, it was known to those skilled in the art that, within groups of these known carbosilanes with comparable structure, the surfactant properties of the compounds deteriorate as the number of silicon atoms decreases, particularly from 4 to 3 or 2. This observation is reflected in the theory of Neumann (A. W. Neumann, D. Renzow, Zeitschrift f. Phys. Chem., New Issue 68, 11, (1969)), which states that the permethylated surface of the siloxane backbone is responsible for lowering the surface tension of aqueous solutions to below 30 to 40 mN/m.
Furthermore, reference is made to the Japanese publications of H. Maki et al. in YUKAGAGU 19, No. 4, page 51 ff. and YUKAGAGU 19, No. 11, page 23 ff., both from the year 1970, in which defined compounds of the formulas
(CH3)3Si(CH2)3(C2H4O)nH and ((CH2)4)3Si(CH2)3(C2H4O)mH
are described, wherein n=4.0 or 7.7 and m=10 or 17. However, these compounds lower the interfacial tension of a 0.1% by weight solution only to values of not less than 26.5 mN/m.
Likewise, quaternary nitrogen compounds having the formula
Bu3M(CH2)3N+(CH3)3Clxe2x88x92 (Bu=Butyl, M=Sn, Si),
which, admittedly, are bacteriostatic but not very surface active, are described in these Japanese publications. The best representatives of these quaternary compounds lower the surface tension of a 1% aqueous solution to 32 mN/m.
The present invention is based on the surprising finding that, in contrast to general theoretical or factual knowledge, as expressed, for example, in the Neumann theory, selected silanes, that is, compounds with only a single silicon atom, but in which the ratio of hydrophilic to hydrophobic parts of the molecule is balanced, lower the surface tension of water exceeding effectively and, in contrast to the siloxane surfactants, are resistant to hydrolysis for days and weeks even in acidic and alkaline media. A further and not foreseeable advantage of the inventive silanes is their complete biodegradability, which makes them particularly suitable for use as surfactants. Such a profile of properties could not be derived from the state of the art and contradicts the previously customary assumptions concerning structural requirements, which organosilicon compounds should fulfill in order to show interfacial tension-lowering properties in aqueous systems.
An object of the present invention is a novel silane. Another object of the invention is the synthesis of novel silanes. Yet another object of the invention is a surfactant in aqueous media comprising the novel silanes.
The silanes have the general formula 
wherein
R1, R2 and R3 in the molecule are the same or different and represent aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon groups,
R4 is a divalent hydrocarbon group with 4 to 12 carbon atoms and a lateral hydroxyl group, wherein the hydrocarbon group can be interrupted by an ether oxygen, and
R5 is a hydrophilic, ionic group.
Examples of preferred R1, R2 and R3 groups are methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl or phenyl groups. However, preferably only one of the R1, R2 and R3 groups is a phenyl group. Preferably, at least 90% of the R1, R2 and R3 groups are methyl groups.
The R4 group is a divalent hydrocarbon group with 4 to 12 carbon atoms and a lateral hydroxyl group. This group is derived from an epoxide, which has an olefinic double bond, which can be hydrosilylated, and the epoxide ring of which has been opened. Diagrammatically, this can be shown by the following example: 
The group in the box corresponds to the R4 group.
Preferred examples of the R4 group are: 
R5 is an ionic group having the formula 
In the above, R6, R7 and R8 are alkyl groups with 1 to 6 carbon atoms, which can be the same or different in the molecule. Examples of such groups are methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl and the isobutyl group.
X+ is a univalent cation and, moreover, usually a hydrogen, alkali, xc2xd alkaline earth or optionally a substituted ammonium ion. In particular, isopropyl-, triethyl-, butylmethyl-or octylammonium ions come into consideration as substituted ammonium ions.
Yxe2x88x92 is any anion, preferably a halide or acetate ion. The chloride ion is preferred as halide ion.
The following compounds are examples of inventive silanes: 
Yet another object of the invention is the synthesis of inventive compounds, which is characterized in that
a) epoxides, which have a olefinic double bond, are reacted by means of an addition reaction in the presence of a hydrosilylation catalyst with silanes of the general formula 
and
b) the epoxide ring of the silane-modified epoxides is opened by a known reaction and the product obtained is
b1) sulfonated, or
b2) quaternized by reaction with tertiary amines having the formula 
in the presence of an acid YH, or
b3) converted by a reaction with a compound of the formula 
into the betaine.
Preferably, the hydrosilylation is carried out at an elevated temperature and/or in the presence of a solvent, a platinum catalyst being used as catalyst.
Step b1) of the method is carried out in a known manner by reacting the silane-modified epoxides with alkali sulfite/alkali hydrogen sulfate or by reacting the sulfite/hydrogen sulfate of the desired cation in the presence of a polar solvent. As solvent, an isopropanol/water mixture is preferably used. The reaction preferably is carried out at an elevated temperature, for example, at the boiling point of the isopropanol/water mixture.
Step b2) of the method, namely the reaction of silane-modified epoxides with different tertiary amines also is preferably carried out in the presence of a polar solvent, particularly a short-chain, low-boiling, aliphatic alcohol, such as isopropanol. The reaction proceeds in the presence of a protonic acid, acetic acid being preferred.
Step b3) of the method comprises the reaction of the silane-modified epoxides with dialkylaminoacetic acid in the presence of a polar solvent, particularly, a lower molecular weight aliphatic alcohol, such as isopropanol.
It is, of course, also possible to react the silane-modified epoxide initially with a dialkylamine, such as dimethylamine in an equivalent manner and then to convert the product obtained by reaction with sodium chloroacetate in the presence of a polar solvent, such as isopropanol, into the betaine.
It is well known to those skilled in the art that the critical micelle concentration (cmc) in aqueous solutions, which is an important parameter for characterizing the surfactant behavior of a compound, depends on the degree of bonding of the counterion to the rest of the surfactant. The cmc of the surfactant decreases as the bonding of the counterion to the rest of the surfactant increases. The degree of bonding depends on the polarizability, the valence and the hydrate shell of the counterion. The specific surfactant properties of a compound, such as the foaming and wetting capability, the solubility and the surface tension-lowering effect, are affected not only by the surfactant group, but also by the counterion.
It is also possible to have steps b1) and b2) of the method proceed simultaneously and to synthesize anion-cation surfactants, by carrying out the reaction of the product of step a) of the method with trialkylammonium hydrogen sulfite. The sulfonate, as well as the corresponding quaternary ammonium compound as a complex are then obtained in equimolar amounts. This is explained by the following reaction outline: 
Yet another object of the invention is the use of the inventive silanes as surfactants in aqueous media. In this connection, it is possible to lower the surface tension of aqueous solutions to values of about 23 mN/m by the addition of 1% by weight of the inventive compounds. At the same time, the biological degradability of the inventive compound is of quite special significance. It is supplemented by the resistance of the silane surfactants to hydrolysis.
Important possible applications of the inventive silane surfactants are their use, for example,
as wetting agents:
in preparations for the treatment of plants (agricultural formulations); for improving the wetting of substrates with a low surface-free energy, such as polyethylene and polypropylene surfaces; for use in the paint industry; for the production of photographic films; in galvanizing technology;
as dispersant:
for dispersion paints, pigments and fillers;
as emulsifiers or additives in the textile industry for the production of textile auxiliaries, fabric softeners, lubricants, antistatic preparations; as a dyeing auxiliary;
as surfactants in general:
for use in fire extinguishers; as foam stabilizers; as surface-active additives to high speed printing inks, adhesives, dispersion adhesives, melt adhesives; for use in detergents; as additives for industrial cleaners;
as raw materials for use in cosmetics, for example, in grooming aids, shampoos, shower gels;
in technical applications and in the household:
anti-condensation agent for use in dishwashing detergents, laundry detergents, toilet cleaners, automatic gloss emulsions.
The preparation of the inventive compounds and their properties are described in greater detail in the following Examples, it being understood that the Examples are provided by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.